Automatic steam-separator.



W. AUSTIN.

AUTOMATIC STEAM SEPARATOR. APP-LIOATION FILED 0GT.15, 1908.

91 7,400, Panama Apr. 6, 1909.

'narran spaans param entre.

WILLIAM AUSTIN, OF SCRANTON7 PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE DELAI-IUNTYDYEING MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC STE .AM-SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 6, 1909.

Application filed October 15, 1908. Serial No. 457,937.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM AUsTIN, residing at Scranton, in the countyof Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new andImproved Automatic Steam-Separator, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention is an improved means adapted for being coupled withthe main supply pipe of steam distributing systems (preferably near theengine throttle valve) for battling the direct steam flow and separatingthe products of condensation therefrom, the said means comprising,generally, a casing having a sei'ni-circular steam impacting surfacelocated between the oppositely disposed inlet and discharge openings inthe casing and baffling or interrupter devices located within the casingto cooperate with the aforesaid semi-circular impacting surface, andrelatively positioned with respect to the said surface and the steaminlet and discharge openings in the casing, whereby to intercept andcreate a back lash or S-shaped path of movement of the steam in itscross over from the inlet to the outlet of the casing, and to neutralizethe effect of the tendencyT of the steam current to pick up the waterthat is precipitated to the casing bottom, valve controlled means beingalso included for regulating the outflow of the products of condensationand steam cleansing from the separator casing.

In its subordinate features, my present invention consists in certaindetails of construction and peculiar cooperative arrangement of parts,all of which will be hereinafter fully explained, specifically pointedout in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing,in which *igure l, is a vertical longitudinal section of my form ofsteam separating means, taken `substantially on the line 1 1 on Fig. 2.Fig. 2, is a cross section thereof on the line 2%2 on Fig. l and Fig. 3,is a perspective l view that shows my separator means coupled with themain steam supply pipe and with a condensation collector and eliminator.

When installed in a horizontal line of steam pipes, my present inventionis arranged as best shown in Fig. 3, which shows the separator meansthat forms the basis of this application coupled with the main steamsupply pipe and with a condensation collector and eliminator, designatedJ in the drawings, and which may be of any approved type.

The separating means comprises a casing A, that forms the waterseparating or extracting chamber a provided at one side side with theoutlet D, said inlet and outlets having flanged faces and Z forconveniently connecting with adjacent flanged ends of the steamdistributing pipe m provided with the usual flange m. At the top, casingA is also formed with a flanged opening that is normally closed by aremovable cap a which opening may be readily utilized as a second steamoutlet. The lower end of the casing terminates in a pendent neck a2provided with an annular flange t3 for the convenient attachment theretoof the flanged end ,7' of the lower casing J as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

By referring particularly to Figs. l and 2, it will be seen that withinthe casing A are baille plates F and G, of substantiallysemi-cylindrical shape, and so mounted, relatively that one, F, deflectsthe infiowing steam, assuming the course of the steam to be normallyhorizontal, and causes it to flow down the bottom line of inlet B andmove in a semi-circular path over the casing bottom a, and since thewater contained therein is heavier than the steam and moving' under thesame impulse and direction, the said water (condensation) has a constanttendency to escape in a line tangent to the curve or line of steampassage and is thereby caused to impact with considerable force on thecurved casing bottom. By reason of deflecting the steam and causing itto engage the bottom of the casing chamber in the manner stated, theseparation of the water from the steam is facilitated since the waterconstantly seeks the lowest level on the casing chamber bottom while thesteam liliewise has a tendency to escape in a line tangent to the curveof the bottom.

The water of condensation that accumulates on the curved bottom a2 istrapped in a pocket I formed in the pendent extension or neck of thecasing, the mouth E of which opens through the bottom a2 and the saidpocket I1 and mouth vE is located to one side of the center or lowermostpoint of the bottom nearest the outgoing side of the said bottom, so asto give the steam flow the maximum down sweep over the bottom a3,Withwith the steam inlet B, and at the opposite- IIO out interruption byreason of engaging the pocket I in its down going movement. By thuspositioning the trap, it is manifest no interruption in the tendency ofthe steam to escape as it passes over the casing bottom can occur untilit has started on its upward direction on the bottom.

The battle plate G which is similar to battle F, in shape, is arrangedrelatively par.- allel to the plate F but extends upwardly and. inwardlyover the outlet D and to a point above the top of the said outlet. Itwill be noticed that baffle It'extends inwardly toa pointjust inlinewith the trap or pocket I while the battle (l extends inwardly andbeyond the said pocket I and beyond the inner end of the said baille Fscas to positively prevent any tendency of the steam flowing directlyupwardly and outwardly through the supplemental or top opening in the.casing when it is used. By ar fanging the battles F and Gr in the mannershown and as described, and combiningl therewith the curved bottom ofthe chamber cz the direction of the steam (see dotted arrows)y is firstinwardly and downwardly against the casing bottom, then upwardly andbackwardly against baiiie G, thence over said4 battle G and throughoutlet D, and by arresting the steam current, battling as stated, theettort of the said steam current to pick up the water as it isprecipitated to the bot-tom of the separator, is neutralizedv bythebaiiie plate G, since it forces the current radially to its line ot'motion, but in a direction opposite to the direction of movementetfected by the plate E, such actions on the moving current causing aconstant throwing otta effect at or near the outlet E,

(very similar, figuratively speaking, tot-hat or' snapping a whip) andproducing a constant etl'ort otl the current to enter at E to collect inthe trap I from whence it passes to the@ collecting` chamber J which maybe equipped with any approved construction ot water elii'ninating means.

To regulate the outflow of the collected fluid in trap I, the samehas aside opening z, controlled by a valve I-I whose stem eX- tends throught-he neck a2 and has asuitable handle. Trap I also provides for theaccumulation of sediment 'removed from the steam and it has a blow valveK that acts as an emergency device for the separator A,

in case ofan accident to the collecting chamj ber J and the eliminatordevices with which the separator, in practice, cooperatively connects.

Having, thus described my invention, what I claim isz.

1,. A condensation eliminator and sepalator, that comprises a steamseparating chamber located in the distributing pipe ot steam system, acollecting chamber below the separating chamber, a connection that joinsthe two chambers, said connection havingl a sediment pocket having apassage to the collecting chamber, a Valve operable from the outside orthe connection for controlling the passage to the collecting chamber anda valved blow otrq for the sediment pocket.

A condensation separator that comprises ay batlie chamber for receivingand intercepting the flow of steam, said chamber having an ii'itegrallpendent extension formed with a. sediment collecting. pocket and with adischarge, a valve mountedy on the pendent extension for controlling thedischarge, and a valved blow off connected with the sediment poche@ 3.In a separator and eliminator, a casing adapted for coupling with asteam' service pipe, having battles between the.y inlet and outlet pas,ges, and ha ving a pendent throat provided with a base flange, combinedwith a collecting casing having a flange at the up.- per end forcoupling with the base flange of the throat portion of the other casing,'said throat, having a sediment pocket and having an escape port tothecollecting case, a valve operable from the outside of the throat forcontrolling the escape port, and blow ott valve connected with thesediment pocket in the throat, all being arranged substantially as shownand, described.

4t. In a condensation eliminator, a` casing having a` chamber formedwith an inlet one side andan outlet at the other side, the bottom ofthe` chamber between the, inlet and outlet being of semi-circular shape,a'trap in the said bottom, battles betweenr the inlet and outletarranged to deflect the steam current tirst downwardly and` forwardlyagainst the chamber bottom and then upwardly and backwardly before itdischarges from the chamber'. i

5. In a condensation separator, a casing. having a chamber formed, withan inlet at one side, an outlet at the opposite side, a. semi-circularimpacting surface at the bottom between the inlet and the outlet, meanswithin the casing for directing the steam current forwardly anddownwardly the semi-circular impacting surface as it passes from theinlet to theoutlet, and a trap. in the casing yfor collecting thecondensation, said trap having anoutlet.

6. In a condensation separator, a casing having a chamber formed with aninlet at one side, an outlet at the other. side and, a, supplementalynormally closed outlet atl the top, the bottom of the chamber betweenthe.

baille for the inlet that extendsfrom the top of the inlet downwardlyand inwardly, and

another battle that extends fromY the bottom of the outlet upwardlyandinwardly.

7. In a condensation separator, al casing having a chamber formed withan inletY iso one side, and an outlet at the other eide, and aSnppleinental normally Closed outlet at the top, the bottom ot' thechamber between the inlet and the outlet being a curved plane, a battlefor the inlet that extends from the top of the inlet downwardly andinwardly,and another baille that extends from the bottom of the outletupwardly and inwardly, said chamber having a pocket in the bottom forthe condensation.

tl. In a condensation separator, easing` haringl a Chamber formed withan outlet, at one side, an inlet at the other Side, and a supplementalnormally closed outlet at the top, the bottom of the chamber bet Veenthe inlet and the outlet being' a curved plaine, a battle tor the inletthat extends from the top ot the inlet downwardly and inwardly, andanother batlie that extends trom the bottom ot' the outlet upwardly andinwardly, said chamber having a pocket in the outlet end ot the bottom.

S). ln a condensation separator, a easingv haring' a chamber formed withan inlet and an outlet,` and a Semi-circular bottom between the inletand the outlet, a battle within the chamber that extends inwardly anddownwardly trom the top ot' the inlet, another batlle that extendsinwardly and upwardly trom the bottom oit the outlet, the inner ende otthe two battles extending' beyond each other in a horizontal line,

l0. lana condensation separator, a easing' ha ving a chamber formed withan inlet and an outlet, a eeii'iieii.'eular bottom that eX- tends fromthe. inlet to the outlet, a pocket in the bottom at the out-let sidethereof, a battle that extends from the top of the inlet inwardly anddownwardly 'to the point substantially in line with the pot-liet andanother batlle that projects inwardly and upwardly from the bottom ofthe outlet and whose inner end extends over and beyond the Said pocketat the outer end of the other battle.

WILLIAM All STlN.

lllitneesee C. l). DELAHUNTY, l. A. Surnom.

